diff --git a/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt b/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt
index d85c9b5143..4f85a089ef 100644
--- a/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt
+++ b/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt
@@ -319,14 +319,14 @@ function body:
 ...
 
 	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
-	if (git_config_get_string_const("user.name", &cfg_name) > 0)
+	if (git_config_get_string_tmp("user.name", &cfg_name) > 0)
 		printf(_("No name is found in config\n"));
 	else
 		printf(_("Your name: %s\n"), cfg_name);
 ----
 
 `git_config()` will grab the configuration from config files known to Git and
-apply standard precedence rules. `git_config_get_string_const()` will look up
+apply standard precedence rules. `git_config_get_string_tmp()` will look up
 a specific key ("user.name") and give you the value. There are a number of
 single-key lookup functions like this one; you can see them all (and more info
 about how to use `git_config()`) in `Documentation/technical/api-config.txt`.
diff --git a/apply.c b/apply.c
index 57afee5120..76dba93c97 100644
--- a/apply.c
+++ b/apply.c
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ struct gitdiff_data {
 
 static void git_apply_config(void)
 {
-	git_config_get_string_const("apply.whitespace", &apply_default_whitespace);
-	git_config_get_string_const("apply.ignorewhitespace", &apply_default_ignorewhitespace);
+	git_config_get_string("apply.whitespace", &apply_default_whitespace);
+	git_config_get_string("apply.ignorewhitespace", &apply_default_ignorewhitespace);
 	git_config(git_xmerge_config, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 2837195491..bba64108af 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1120,8 +1120,10 @@ static void setup_new_branch_info_and_source_tree(
 	if (!check_refname_format(new_branch_info->path, 0) &&
 	    !read_ref(new_branch_info->path, &branch_rev))
 		oidcpy(rev, &branch_rev);
-	else
+	else {
+		free((char *)new_branch_info->path);
 		new_branch_info->path = NULL; /* not an existing branch */
+	}
 
 	new_branch_info->commit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(the_repository, rev, 1);
 	if (!new_branch_info->commit) {
diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index 2eb8d6a5a5..0f23dd4b8c 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ static void prepare_format_display(struct ref *ref_map)
 	struct ref *rm;
 	const char *format = "full";
 
-	git_config_get_string_const("fetch.output", &format);
+	git_config_get_string_tmp("fetch.output", &format);
 	if (!strcasecmp(format, "full"))
 		compact_format = 0;
 	else if (!strcasecmp(format, "compact"))
diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index df135abbf1..a59d8e4bda 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1511,7 +1511,7 @@ static void determine_submodule_update_strategy(struct repository *r,
 		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(update, out) < 0)
 			die(_("Invalid update mode '%s' for submodule path '%s'"),
 				update, path);
-	} else if (!repo_config_get_string_const(r, key, &val)) {
+	} else if (!repo_config_get_string_tmp(r, key, &val)) {
 		if (parse_submodule_update_strategy(val, out) < 0)
 			die(_("Invalid update mode '%s' configured for submodule path '%s'"),
 				val, path);
@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 	}
 
 	key = xstrfmt("submodule.%s.update", sub->name);
-	if (!repo_config_get_string_const(the_repository, key, &update_string)) {
+	if (!repo_config_get_string_tmp(the_repository, key, &update_string)) {
 		update_type = parse_submodule_update_type(update_string);
 	} else {
 		update_type = sub->update_strategy.type;
@@ -1690,7 +1690,7 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 
 	strbuf_reset(&sb);
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "submodule.%s.url", sub->name);
-	if (repo_config_get_string_const(the_repository, sb.buf, &url)) {
+	if (repo_config_get_string_tmp(the_repository, sb.buf, &url)) {
 		if (starts_with_dot_slash(sub->url) ||
 		    starts_with_dot_dot_slash(sub->url)) {
 			url = compute_submodule_clone_url(sub->url);
@@ -1747,8 +1747,8 @@ static int prepare_to_clone_next_submodule(const struct cache_entry *ce,
 					      "--no-single-branch");
 
 cleanup:
-	strbuf_reset(&displaypath_sb);
-	strbuf_reset(&sb);
+	strbuf_release(&displaypath_sb);
+	strbuf_release(&sb);
 	if (need_free_url)
 		free((void*)url);
 
@@ -1976,7 +1976,7 @@ static const char *remote_submodule_branch(const char *path)
 		return NULL;
 
 	key = xstrfmt("submodule.%s.branch", sub->name);
-	if (repo_config_get_string_const(the_repository, key, &branch))
+	if (repo_config_get_string_tmp(the_repository, key, &branch))
 		branch = sub->branch;
 	free(key);
 
@@ -2101,7 +2101,7 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	const struct submodule *sub;
 	const char *path;
-	char *cw;
+	const char *cw;
 	struct repository subrepo;
 
 	if (argc != 2)
@@ -2116,7 +2116,7 @@ static int ensure_core_worktree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (repo_submodule_init(&subrepo, the_repository, sub))
 		die(_("could not get a repository handle for submodule '%s'"), path);
 
-	if (!repo_config_get_string(&subrepo, "core.worktree", &cw)) {
+	if (!repo_config_get_string_tmp(&subrepo, "core.worktree", &cw)) {
 		char *cfg_file, *abs_path;
 		const char *rel_path;
 		struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 0290849c19..4cad61ffa4 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -921,8 +921,8 @@ extern int assume_unchanged;
 extern int prefer_symlink_refs;
 extern int warn_ambiguous_refs;
 extern int warn_on_object_refname_ambiguity;
-extern const char *apply_default_whitespace;
-extern const char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
+extern char *apply_default_whitespace;
+extern char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
 extern const char *git_attributes_file;
 extern const char *git_hooks_path;
 extern int zlib_compression_level;
diff --git a/checkout.c b/checkout.c
index c72e9f9773..6586e30ca5 100644
--- a/checkout.c
+++ b/checkout.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const char *unique_tracking_name(const char *name, struct object_id *oid,
 {
 	struct tracking_name_data cb_data = TRACKING_NAME_DATA_INIT;
 	const char *default_remote = NULL;
-	if (!git_config_get_string_const("checkout.defaultremote", &default_remote))
+	if (!git_config_get_string_tmp("checkout.defaultremote", &default_remote))
 		cb_data.default_remote = default_remote;
 	cb_data.src_ref = xstrfmt("refs/heads/%s", name);
 	cb_data.dst_oid = oid;
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ const char *unique_tracking_name(const char *name, struct object_id *oid,
 	if (dwim_remotes_matched)
 		*dwim_remotes_matched = cb_data.num_matches;
 	free(cb_data.src_ref);
-	free((char *)default_remote);
 	if (cb_data.num_matches == 1) {
 		free(cb_data.default_dst_ref);
 		free(cb_data.default_dst_oid);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 2b79fe76ad..2bdff4457b 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -2006,18 +2006,27 @@ const struct string_list *git_configset_get_value_multi(struct config_set *cs, c
 	return e ? &e->value_list : NULL;
 }
 
-int git_configset_get_string_const(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, const char **dest)
+int git_configset_get_string(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, char **dest)
 {
 	const char *value;
 	if (!git_configset_get_value(cs, key, &value))
-		return git_config_string(dest, key, value);
+		return git_config_string((const char **)dest, key, value);
 	else
 		return 1;
 }
 
-int git_configset_get_string(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, char **dest)
+int git_configset_get_string_tmp(struct config_set *cs, const char *key,
+				 const char **dest)
 {
-	return git_configset_get_string_const(cs, key, (const char **)dest);
+	const char *value;
+	if (!git_configset_get_value(cs, key, &value)) {
+		if (!value)
+			return config_error_nonbool(key);
+		*dest = value;
+		return 0;
+	} else {
+		return 1;
+	}
 }
 
 int git_configset_get_int(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, int *dest)
@@ -2147,22 +2156,26 @@ const struct string_list *repo_config_get_value_multi(struct repository *repo,
 	return git_configset_get_value_multi(repo->config, key);
 }
 
-int repo_config_get_string_const(struct repository *repo,
-				 const char *key, const char **dest)
+int repo_config_get_string(struct repository *repo,
+			   const char *key, char **dest)
 {
 	int ret;
 	git_config_check_init(repo);
-	ret = git_configset_get_string_const(repo->config, key, dest);
+	ret = git_configset_get_string(repo->config, key, dest);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		git_die_config(key, NULL);
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int repo_config_get_string(struct repository *repo,
-			   const char *key, char **dest)
+int repo_config_get_string_tmp(struct repository *repo,
+			       const char *key, const char **dest)
 {
+	int ret;
 	git_config_check_init(repo);
-	return repo_config_get_string_const(repo, key, (const char **)dest);
+	ret = git_configset_get_string_tmp(repo->config, key, dest);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		git_die_config(key, NULL);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 int repo_config_get_int(struct repository *repo,
@@ -2232,16 +2245,16 @@ const struct string_list *git_config_get_value_multi(const char *key)
 	return repo_config_get_value_multi(the_repository, key);
 }
 
-int git_config_get_string_const(const char *key, const char **dest)
-{
-	return repo_config_get_string_const(the_repository, key, dest);
-}
-
 int git_config_get_string(const char *key, char **dest)
 {
 	return repo_config_get_string(the_repository, key, dest);
 }
 
+int git_config_get_string_tmp(const char *key, const char **dest)
+{
+	return repo_config_get_string_tmp(the_repository, key, dest);
+}
+
 int git_config_get_int(const char *key, int *dest)
 {
 	return repo_config_get_int(the_repository, key, dest);
@@ -2274,7 +2287,7 @@ int git_config_get_pathname(const char *key, const char **dest)
 
 int git_config_get_expiry(const char *key, const char **output)
 {
-	int ret = git_config_get_string_const(key, output);
+	int ret = git_config_get_string(key, (char **)output);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 	if (strcmp(*output, "now")) {
@@ -2287,11 +2300,11 @@ int git_config_get_expiry(const char *key, const char **output)
 
 int git_config_get_expiry_in_days(const char *key, timestamp_t *expiry, timestamp_t now)
 {
-	char *expiry_string;
+	const char *expiry_string;
 	intmax_t days;
 	timestamp_t when;
 
-	if (git_config_get_string(key, &expiry_string))
+	if (git_config_get_string_tmp(key, &expiry_string))
 		return 1; /* no such thing */
 
 	if (git_parse_signed(expiry_string, &days, maximum_signed_value_of_type(int))) {
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 060874488f..91cdfbfb41 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -458,8 +458,8 @@ void git_configset_clear(struct config_set *cs);
  */
 int git_configset_get_value(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, const char **dest);
 
-int git_configset_get_string_const(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, const char **dest);
 int git_configset_get_string(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, char **dest);
+int git_configset_get_string_tmp(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, const char **dest);
 int git_configset_get_int(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, int *dest);
 int git_configset_get_ulong(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, unsigned long *dest);
 int git_configset_get_bool(struct config_set *cs, const char *key, int *dest);
@@ -474,10 +474,10 @@ int repo_config_get_value(struct repository *repo,
 			  const char *key, const char **value);
 const struct string_list *repo_config_get_value_multi(struct repository *repo,
 						      const char *key);
-int repo_config_get_string_const(struct repository *repo,
-				 const char *key, const char **dest);
 int repo_config_get_string(struct repository *repo,
 			   const char *key, char **dest);
+int repo_config_get_string_tmp(struct repository *repo,
+			       const char *key, const char **dest);
 int repo_config_get_int(struct repository *repo,
 			const char *key, int *dest);
 int repo_config_get_ulong(struct repository *repo,
@@ -529,13 +529,14 @@ void git_config_clear(void);
  * error message and returns -1. When the configuration variable `key` is
  * not found, returns 1 without touching `dest`.
  */
-int git_config_get_string_const(const char *key, const char **dest);
+int git_config_get_string(const char *key, char **dest);
 
 /**
- * Similar to `git_config_get_string_const`, except that retrieved value
- * copied into the `dest` parameter is a mutable string.
+ * Similar to `git_config_get_string`, but does not allocate any new
+ * memory; on success `dest` will point to memory owned by the config
+ * machinery, which could be invalidated if it is discarded and reloaded.
  */
-int git_config_get_string(const char *key, char **dest);
+int git_config_get_string_tmp(const char *key, const char **dest);
 
 /**
  * Finds and parses the value to an integer for the configuration variable
diff --git a/connect.c b/connect.c
index 0b6aba177e..8b8f56cf6d 100644
--- a/connect.c
+++ b/connect.c
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ static const char *get_ssh_command(void)
 	if ((ssh = getenv("GIT_SSH_COMMAND")))
 		return ssh;
 
-	if (!git_config_get_string_const("core.sshcommand", &ssh))
+	if (!git_config_get_string_tmp("core.sshcommand", &ssh))
 		return ssh;
 
 	return NULL;
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ static void override_ssh_variant(enum ssh_variant *ssh_variant)
 {
 	const char *variant = getenv("GIT_SSH_VARIANT");
 
-	if (!variant && git_config_get_string_const("ssh.variant", &variant))
+	if (!variant && git_config_get_string_tmp("ssh.variant", &variant))
 		return;
 
 	if (!strcmp(variant, "auto"))
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index abb071a7a2..3018a657b0 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -921,6 +921,8 @@ void clear_pattern_list(struct pattern_list *pl)
 		free(pl->patterns[i]);
 	free(pl->patterns);
 	free(pl->filebuf);
+	hashmap_free_entries(&pl->recursive_hashmap, struct pattern_entry, ent);
+	hashmap_free_entries(&pl->parent_hashmap, struct pattern_entry, ent);
 
 	memset(pl, 0, sizeof(*pl));
 }
diff --git a/editor.c b/editor.c
index 91989ee8a1..6303ae0ab0 100644
--- a/editor.c
+++ b/editor.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const char *git_sequence_editor(void)
 	const char *editor = getenv("GIT_SEQUENCE_EDITOR");
 
 	if (!editor)
-		git_config_get_string_const("sequence.editor", &editor);
+		git_config_get_string_tmp("sequence.editor", &editor);
 	if (!editor)
 		editor = git_editor();
 
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 52e0c979ba..bb518c61cd 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ int repository_format_precious_objects;
 int repository_format_worktree_config;
 const char *git_commit_encoding;
 const char *git_log_output_encoding;
-const char *apply_default_whitespace;
-const char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
+char *apply_default_whitespace;
+char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
 const char *git_attributes_file;
 const char *git_hooks_path;
 int zlib_compression_level = Z_BEST_SPEED;
diff --git a/help.c b/help.c
index d478afb2af..4e2468a44d 100644
--- a/help.c
+++ b/help.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ void list_cmds_by_config(struct string_list *list)
 {
 	const char *cmd_list;
 
-	if (git_config_get_string_const("completion.commands", &cmd_list))
+	if (git_config_get_string_tmp("completion.commands", &cmd_list))
 		return;
 
 	string_list_sort(list);
diff --git a/protocol.c b/protocol.c
index d1dd3424bb..8d964fc65e 100644
--- a/protocol.c
+++ b/protocol.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ enum protocol_version get_protocol_version_config(void)
 	const char *git_test_k = "GIT_TEST_PROTOCOL_VERSION";
 	const char *git_test_v;
 
-	if (!git_config_get_string_const("protocol.version", &value)) {
+	if (!git_config_get_string_tmp("protocol.version", &value)) {
 		enum protocol_version version = parse_protocol_version(value);
 
 		if (version == protocol_unknown_version)
diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index a52b93a87f..d0b70ca536 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ void set_diffopt_flags_from_submodule_config(struct diff_options *diffopt,
 		char *key;
 
 		key = xstrfmt("submodule.%s.ignore", submodule->name);
-		if (repo_config_get_string_const(the_repository, key, &ignore))
+		if (repo_config_get_string_tmp(the_repository, key, &ignore))
 			ignore = submodule->ignore;
 		free(key);
 
@@ -1299,7 +1299,7 @@ static int get_fetch_recurse_config(const struct submodule *submodule,
 
 		int fetch_recurse = submodule->fetch_recurse;
 		key = xstrfmt("submodule.%s.fetchRecurseSubmodules", submodule->name);
-		if (!repo_config_get_string_const(spf->r, key, &value)) {
+		if (!repo_config_get_string_tmp(spf->r, key, &value)) {
 			fetch_recurse = parse_fetch_recurse_submodules_arg(key, value);
 		}
 		free(key);
diff --git a/t/helper/test-config.c b/t/helper/test-config.c
index 234c722b48..a6e936721f 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-config.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-config.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ int cmd__config(int argc, const char **argv)
 			goto exit1;
 		}
 	} else if (argc == 3 && !strcmp(argv[1], "get_string")) {
-		if (!git_config_get_string_const(argv[2], &v)) {
+		if (!git_config_get_string_tmp(argv[2], &v)) {
 			printf("%s\n", v);
 			goto exit0;
 		} else {